Mold Prevention Nautical Furniture Lift

ABSTRACT

A system and method of mounting nautical furniture to prevent mold accumulation on the marine flooring. A lift with a flat upper surface and a ridged lower surface is placed between the furniture before the furniture is secured to the decking.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of Invention

The invention related to the system and method for nautical furniture installation to prevent mold growth on nautical vessels.

2. Background of the Invention

The present invention is a useful and novel method for preventing mold that occurs in boats where the furniture is mounted over the deck's marine flooring. Current installation methods allow water to be trapped in both the flooring under the furniture areas and the absorbent areas of the furniture resting on the flooring.

Boat furniture is mounted to a deck by:

-   -   1. Rail-to-rail flooring, such as marine carpeting, of areas to         receive furniture;     -   2. Laying out furniture on the carpeted deck;     -   3. Securing each adjacent piece of furniture together;     -   4. Drilling a hole through the furniture base and the decking;     -   5. Securing to the decking with either a lag screw or a         nut-and-bolt combination.

All the marine furniture mounting methods heretofore known suffer from a number of disadvantages:

-   -   1. Furniture is mounted directly onto a carpet creating a         moisture trap along the furniture edge and below the furniture;     -   2. The user is not able to power wash the flooring without         flooding the boat.     -   3. Trapped water below the furniture frame and under the         furniture causes the wood deck under the marine carpet to rot         faster.     -   4. In order to better allow evaporation of water under         furniture, the consumer has to pull up furniture cushions and         leave unassembled.     -   5. To remove accumulated mold under the furniture frame, the         furniture must be unmounted from the deck.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An invention, which meets the needs stated above, is a system and method of lifting furniture off a boat's marine flooring by attaching a ridged lift before attaching the furniture to the boat.

Objects and Advantages

Accordingly, besides the objects and advantages of the system for the nautical furniture installation method and system described above, several objects and advantages of the present invention are:

-   -   a) to provide minimum touch points between the furniture and         flooring while securing the furniture to the deck;     -   b) to provide drainage and evaporation for normal moisture         accumulation on a boat deck;     -   c) to provide drainage and evaporation for power washing;     -   d) to provide customization of ridge lift sizes;     -   e) to provide customization of ridge lift assembly locations.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and the ensuing description of the drawings.

DRAWING FIGURES

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the present invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this invention. In the figures:

FIG. 1.—Drawing of a boat with a cut-away showing furniture mounted on ridge lifts.

FIGS. 2A-2B.—Drawings illustrating the components of securing marine furniture with a ridge lift.

FIGS. 3A-3B.—Illustration demonstrating the components of a ridge lift.

KEY TERMS

Alternating ridge tread: a configuration of a ridge lift with at least two ridge treads where adjacent treads associate a concave ridge with a convex ridge.

Ridge: a pattern formed by raised surfaces on an area. The pattern of the raised surface may be substantially curved, triangular, spiked or flat.

Ridge lift: a device that produces minimal contact with marine flooring by having a ridged surface on the bottom side of the device. The ridge lift allows ventilation by both evaporation and run off of the water through the ridge treads.

Ridge tread: a single series of ridges running the entire length of the ridge lift.

REFERENCE NUMERALS IN DRAWINGS

-   10 Water, moisture -   20 Boat, marine craft -   30 Boat furniture, marine furniture, furniture -   31 Furniture frame -   32 Furniture front -   34 Furniture back -   36 Furniture side -   38 Furniture cushion -   40 Flooring -   42 Plush flooring -   44 Firm flooring -   50 Deck, decking -   60 Fastening mechanism -   62 Self-drilling fastener -   64 Nut-and-bolt combination -   66 Lag screw -   70 Ridge lift -   71 Ridge lift side -   72 Ridge lift flat furniture surface -   73 Ridge lift snaps -   74 Ridge lift flooring surface -   76 Ridge, ridge tread -   77 Alternating ridge tread -   78 Ridge lift adhesive

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring to the drawings, in which like numerals represent like elements,

FIG. 1

Turning to FIG. 1, the illustration depicts a pontoon boat 20 with a cutout. Like all marine crafts 20, a pontoon boat is highly susceptible to water, or moisture 10, accumulating on the interior of the boat 20. The water 10 can be trafficked into the marine craft 20 by overspray, power washing, humidity, leaking, spilling, rapid deceleration of the boat 10, passengers entering the boat 10, rain, high waves and wet objects like clothing. A marine craft 20 typically has furniture 30 which is mounted through the flooring 40 to the deck 50. Flooring 40 comprises a wide range of materials including marine carpeting, grass, rubber, vinyl, plastics, and wood. Boat furniture 30 comprises seating, tables, appliances, storage, beds, engine housing, and captain stands. Typically, furniture 30 comprises a front 32, back 34 and sides 36 where the furniture frame 31 can be mounted to the deck 50 using a fastening mechanism 60. Typical fastening mechanisms 60 comprise self-drilling fasteners 62, nut-and-bolt combination 64, and lag screws 66. In the prior art of lag screw 66 and nut-and-bolt combination 64 assembly, the assembler arranges the boat furniture 30 on the flooring 40, drills holes in the furniture frame 31, drills holes through the flooring 40, drills holes through the deck 50, and secures the three together with the fastening mechanisms 60. In the prior art of self-drilling fastener 62, the assembler arranges the furniture 30 on the flooring 40, simultaneously drills a self-drilling fastener 62 through the furniture frame 31, flooring 40, deck 50, and secures the three 31, 40, 50 together without drilling a hole. In FIG. 1, the present invention adds a ridge lift 70 to the front 32, back 34 and sides 36 of the furniture frame 31. The ridge lift 70 prevents moisture 10 from being trapped under the boat furniture 30 and acts as a ventilation aid. Ridge lifts 70 may be assembled on two opposing sides of the furniture 30 or on every side of the marine furniture 30.

FIGS. 2A-2B

Referring now to FIGS. 2A-2B, the drawings show the various components that comprise securing marine furniture 30 with a ridge lift 70.

FIG. 2A is a preferred assembly embodiment because it simplifies the assembly process for the installer. One of the advantages of using a fastening mechanism 60 like a self-drilling fastener 62 is the installer does not have to drill multiple holes for one fastener 60 and then align those holes for the final assembly. However, the disadvantage is that without the drilled holes, the installer cannot see the locations of ridge lift 70 while drilling through the furniture frame 31. FIG. 2A demonstrates that the self drilling fastener 62 does not have to penetrate the ridge lift 70 because the pressure of the fastening mechanism 60 creates enough pressure to keep the ridge lift 70 in place after installation. Therefore, this method eliminates the disadvantage of the assembler not being able to see the ridge lift 70 during installation.

In FIG. 2A, to assemble the furniture 30 through the flooring 40 and into the deck 50, the assembler first attaches the ridge lifts 70 to the underside of the furniture frame 31 using the ridge frame adhesive 78 on the ridge lift flat furniture surface 72. Ridge lifts 70 may be assembled on two opposing sides of the furniture 30 or on every side of the marine furniture 30. The installer can customize the location of the ridge lifts 70 to maximize invisibility, drainage, evaporation or stability. However, he has no need to record the location of the ridge lifts 70. As shown in FIG. 2A, the ridge lift 70 may be the substantial width and/or length of the furniture frame 31.

The furniture 30 manufacturer may also incorporate the ridge lifts 70 into the frame 31 design to eliminate the additional step of attaching the ridge lift 70 with the ridge frame adhesive 78.

The assembler then arranges the furniture 30 on the deck 50 above the flooring 40, such as plush flooring 42 like marine carpeting, and attaches the adjacent furniture 30 components together with horizontal fastening mechanisms 60. Using a self-drilling fastener 62, the assembler drills the fastening mechanism 60 into place in any location he determines advantageous without concerns about the underside location of the ridge lift 70. If the furniture 30 requires additional components, such as a furniture cushion 38, the installer then places it above, or into, the furniture frame 31.

In FIG. 2B, we show three additional embodiments of the present invention. One, the flooring 40 can be a firm flooring 44 such as rubber, vinyl, plastics, and wood. While these types of flooring 40 would not retain moisture 10 in their surface, they present a slip risk from water 10 and still allow the accumulation of moisture 10 under the furniture 30, particularly along the furniture frame 31.

The second additional embodiment is the use of pre-drilled fastening mechanism 60 such as nut-and-bold 64 and lag screws 66. The assembly, including the ridge lift 70, comprises pre-drilling a hole through the ridge lift 70 to align with the hole in the furniture 30 and the associated hole in the flooring 40 and decking 50.

The invention's third additional embodiment is the ridge lift 70 is not substantially the length of the furniture frame 31 and instead the assembly is comprised of shorter segments of sufficient strength to bear the weight of storage, furniture 30 and passengers.

FIGS. 3A-3B

Finally, turning to FIGS. 3A to 3B depicting features of two example ridge lifts 70. FIG. 3A shows a ridge lift 70 with five (5) alternating ridge treads 76. The alternating ridge tread 77 may be manufactured as a single ridge lift 70 with alternating ridges 76. The alternating ridge tread 77 may be manufactured as individual treads 76 and later assembled to desired widths using ridge lift snaps 73, or any such attachment means, on the ridge lift sides 71. A ridge lift 70 may be manufactured in materials comprising rubber, plastic, synthetics, wood, or other natural materials.

FIG. 3B shows a ridge lift 70 with a single ridge tread 76. The ridge lift 70 comprises ridge lift sides 71, ridge lift flat furniture surface 72 with a ridge lift adhesive 78 and a ridge lift flooring surface 74 with a ridge tread 76.

The ridge lift's 70 are assembled with the bottom-most furniture frame 31 resting on the ridge lift flat furniture surface 72. This maximizes the stability of the ridge lift 70 against the furniture frame 31. The ridge lift flooring surface 74 rests on the flooring 40 whereby the ridge treads 76 create only minimal points of contact with the flooring 40 and allows ventilation of moisture and water 10. The ventilation occurs by both evaporation and run off of the water 10 through the ridge tread 76.

In order to simply assembly, the ridge lift 70 may comprise a ridge lift adhesive 78 on the ridge lift flat furniture surface 72. The adhesive 78 would hold the ridge lift 70 in the assembler's desired location on the furniture frame 31 while he is locating the furniture 30 on the flooring 40 and attaching the fastening mechanisms 60. Once the fastening mechanism 60 is in place, the ridge lift 70 would be held in place by the pressure generated by the fastening mechanism 60. The ridge lift adhesive 78 material may comprise chemical adhesives, drying adhesives, polymer adhesives, polymer dispersion adhesives, non-reactive adhesives, contact adhesives, pressure-sensitive adhesives, natural adhesives, loop and hook adhesives, heat seal adhesives or magnetic adhesives.

Although the present disclosure and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the disclosure, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the present disclosure. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps.

In the foregoing description, and the following claims, method steps and/or actions are described in a particular order for the purposes of illustration. It should be appreciated that in alternate embodiments, the method steps and/or actions may be performed in a different order than that described. While illustrative and presently preferred embodiments of the invention have been described in detail herein, it is to be understood that the inventive concepts may be otherwise variously embodied and employed, and that the appended claims are intended to be construed to include such variations, except as limited by the prior art.

Benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have been described herein with regard to specific embodiments. However, the advantages, associated benefits, specific solutions to problems, and any element(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as critical, required, or essential features or elements of any or all the claims of the invention. As used herein, the terms “comprises”, “comprising”, or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus composed of a list of elements that may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.

Advantages

From the description above, a number of advantages become evident for the “Mold Prevention Nautical Furniture Lift.” The present invention provides all new benefits for participating parties including furniture installers, boat manufacturers and consumers:

-   -   a) allows boat manufacturers to increase retail;     -   b) allows boat manufacturers to add options like ridge lifts,         ventilated storage flooring, and electric under-cushion fans;     -   c) allows boat manufacturers to customize the size and shape of         the ridge lifts;     -   d) allows furniture installers to customize the width of the         ridge lift;     -   e) allows furniture installers to customize the locations of the         ridge lifts to maximize ventilation;     -   f) allows furniture installers to customize the position of the         ridge lifts so they cannot be seen by the consumer;     -   g) allows consumers to power wash a boat decking, including         under furniture without resulting mold and mildew;     -   h) allows consumers to easily clean the dirt build-up around the         furniture-flooring edges. 

We claim:
 1. A method of lifting marine furniture off a boat's flooring, the method comprising: a. manufacturing a ridge lift comprising a body of material with a ridge lift flat furniture surface and a contralateral ridge lift flooring surface; b. attaching said ridge lift flat furniture surface of said ridge lift to a furniture frame of a marine furniture; c. placing said marine furniture on a boat's flooring with said ridge lift flooring surface opposing the flooring; d. securing said marine furniture to a boat's deck with a self-drilling fastener positioned through the furniture frame, ridge lift, flooring and deck.
 2. A method of claim 1, wherein said ridge lift flooring surface is a single tread.
 3. A method of claim 1, wherein said ridge lift flooring surface is an alternating ridge tread.
 4. A method of lifting marine furniture off a boat's flooring, the method comprising: a. manufacturing a ridge lift comprising a body of material with a ridge lift flat furniture surface and a contralateral ridge lift flooring surface; b. manufacturing a hole in said ridge lift; c. drilling a hole through a furniture frame, flooring and deck; d. attaching said ridge lift flat furniture surface of said ridge lift to a furniture frame of a marine furniture; e. placing said marine furniture on a boat's flooring with said ridge lift flooring surface opposing the flooring; f. securing said marine furniture to a boat's deck with a fastening mechanism positioned through the furniture frame, ridge lift, flooring and deck.
 5. A method of claim 4, wherein said hole in said ridge lift is drilled.
 6. A method of claim 4, wherein said ridge lift flooring surface is a single tread.
 7. A method of claim 4, wherein said ridge lift flooring surface is an alternating ridge tread.
 8. A method of claim 4, wherein said fastening mechanism is a nut-and-bolt combination.
 9. A method of claim 4, wherein said fastening mechanism is a lag screw.
 10. A method of lifting marine furniture off a boat's flooring, the method comprising: a. manufacturing a ridge lift comprising a body of material with a ridge lift flat furniture surface and a contralateral ridge lift flooring surface; b. attaching said ridge lift flat furniture surface of said ridge lift to a furniture frame of a marine furniture; c. placing said marine furniture on a boat's flooring with said ridge lift flooring surface opposing the flooring; d. securing said marine furniture to a boat's deck with a fastening mechanism positioned through the furniture frame, flooring and deck.
 11. A method of claim 10, wherein said ridge lift flooring surface is a single tread.
 12. A method of claim 10, wherein said ridge lift flooring surface is an alternating ridge tread.
 13. A method of claim 10, wherein said fastening mechanism is a self-drilling fastener.
 14. A method of claim 10, wherein said fastening mechanism is a nut-and-bolt combination.
 15. A method of claim 10 wherein said fastening mechanism is a lag screw. 